Gov’t declines 24,000 Grade 10 placement review requests

By Newsflash Writer

Nearly 24,000 Grade 10 learners had their initial placement review requests rejected as of Friday, December 26, 2025, halfway through the ongoing review process.

According to Basic Education Principal Secretary Prof Julius Bitok, most of the rejections were due to merit-based placement rules and limited capacity in senior secondary schools. The affected learners will now need to select alternative options.

By the fourth day of the seven-day review window, the Ministry of Education had processed over 86,000 of more than 100,000 applications—approving 62,000 while declining the remainder. Prof. Bitok noted that the numbers highlight the high demand for top-tier schools and the challenges learners face in securing their preferred placements.

Digital platform easing placement anxieties

The Ministry launched a digital platform on Tuesday to allow parents and school administrators to request changes to senior secondary school placements, aiming to ease anxiety among learners dissatisfied with their initial allocations. “The requests are still coming in. By Day Four of the review window, we have processed over 86,000 applications,” said Prof. Bitok. “Of these, 62,000 have been approved, while 24,000 have been declined, mainly due to the merit-based placement system and limited capacity in senior secondary schools.”

The ministry is urging parents and learners whose requests were unsuccessful to carefully review the available options and reapply to schools with remaining spaces. “This is an important opportunity to secure a placement that aligns with the learner’s performance and aspirations,” Prof. Bitok emphasized.

As of Wednesday, the ministry had received a total of 177,000 requests, processing more than 30,000, with approvals and rejections communicated to learners and parents. The revision period is intended to address cases where candidates are uncomfortable with their assigned school or pathway, while ensuring the process remains fair, transparent, and aligned with national placement guidelines.

Focus on fairness and learner preferences

Prof. Bitok acknowledged the anxieties parents, learners, and stakeholders face during the transition to Grade 10. He stressed the ministry’s focus on making the placement process transparent, fair, and satisfactory. “We encourage all involved parties to engage constructively as we refine and strengthen the Competency-Based Education system for the benefit of our learners,” he said.

The digital platform covers around 9,000 senior schools, allowing learners to select up to four alternative schools to improve their chances of securing preferred placements.

Requests include changes between STEM, social sciences, arts, and sports pathways. Responsibilities have been delegated to various administrative levels—cluster, regional, county, and sub-county directors—to ensure efficiency.

Prof. Bitok urged patience, emphasizing that the seven-day review process is designed to be thorough. “The platform is available 24 hours a day, so requests can be submitted anytime. By January 12, all learners will have joined their respective schools,” he said during a supervision visit at Naivasha Boys Boarding Junior School.